Blue Elephant Theatre Bar
59A Bethwin Road SE5 0XT Tel: 0207 701 0100
http://blueelephanttheatre.co.uk
Hidden down a sidestreet, the Blue Elephant is not a bar one tends to just happen upon, but as you draw closer, the rather cool Blue Elephant-themed streetlights draw you into this little venue. Climb the staircase to find the bar, only open on nights of performance (see What's On), and worth the effort. With a grand piano in one corner, walls filled with exhibitions of eclectic photography (all for sale), and a great origami lightshade, the Blue Elephant bar is both pleasing to the eye and welcoming to the visitor. Its little wooden chairs and tables feel slightly incongruous, as though you have stepped into someone’s rather unusual living room. This bar’s particular brand of arty cool feels unselfconscious and unaffected. There is a limited range of drinks, but the prices are good and the staff are friendly. The atmosphere is a little awkward. This is simply because the bar is quiet – locals don’t seem to have realised what Blue Elephant has to offer Camberwell’s bar scene, and the bar deserves to be a lot busier than it was when we visited. Ideal for a pre-theatre drink (and the Blue Elephant has a great programme) or just for a quiet night out in what might be Camberwell's most unusual bar.
